Launched in 2014, Smart Campus® Facens distinguishes itself by transforming our campus into a vast living laboratory focused on studying and implementing innovative solutions aimed at developing Human, Smart, and Sustainable Cities.
We consider our entire ecosystem and operate in a multidisciplinary, integrated manner with other Innovation Centers and departments at Centro Universitário Facens.
Thanks to our pioneering efforts, we hold the trademark for Smart Campus®, a concept that has inspired adoption and replication in universities and innovation hubs worldwide.
The projects developed within Smart Campus® Facens are organized into nine key areas of focus. These areas are directly connected to the Sustainability Pillars of the Facens campus, the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) concepts.
The Smart Lab is the Innovation Center responsible for the entire process of research, development, testing, analysis, and governance of the solutions applied on Facens' intelligent campus.
Since its inception, the Smart Lab has implemented over 350 projects and various types of IoT (Internet of Things) devices.
All these achievements have led to the campus being recognized as a Reference Center for IoT and 4.0 Technologies by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The Smart Lab also plays a crucial role in research and knowledge dissemination within the concept of Smart Cities, bridging academia, the market, public sector agencies, and society as a whole. It generates academic content for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for elementary and high school education, fostering the development of these students not only as professionals but also as citizens.
To assist in the governance of Smart Campus® Facens, the Smart Lab features a large dashboard with information on projects implemented on campus, simulating a Control and Operations Center (CCO – Central de Controle e Operações).
To manage this tool, an internal team specializes in integrating different device communication protocols, including LoRa, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wireless, 5G, among others. This expertise allows for continuous updates in line with the latest market technologies.
The dashboard also serves as a valuable resource for students, professors, and researchers in project development, as it provides a platform for data collection, storage, and transformation.
The Energy Management Program (PGE – Programa de Gerenciamento de Energia) at Smart Campus® Facens was designed to promote more effective energy management practices while simultaneously revitalizing the Internal Energy Conservation Committee (CICE – Comissão Interna de Conservação Energética). This initiative directly responded to the need for improvements in the energy data monitoring and management system, aiming to enhance the accuracy of the energy generation and consumption records displayed on the Smart Lab dashboard at the Facens campus.
The Energy Management Program was structured around three fundamental strategic pillars:
This holistic approach not only aimed to reduce energy consumption but also promoted the transformation of the campus into a more sustainable and energy-responsible environment. It aligns with global sustainability goals and reinforces the campus's commitment to environmental stewardship.
Facens campus stands out for its adoption of sustainable solutions and promotion of renewable energy, operating two photovoltaic plants—the first inaugurated in 2016 and the second at the end of 2022.
The project to integrate these photovoltaic plants aims to enhance the management and monitoring of solar energy production, which now accounts for 19% of the campus's energy usage.
This project was executed following a structured plan divided into key steps:
Facens campus features an advanced weather station that provides valuable climatic data to the institution. The project aims to maximize the use of this resource and its accumulated database to develop decision-support systems for campus governance.
Specifically, it seeks to generate alerts for extreme weather events that could affect drainage, cause water scarcity, or impact irrigation management and crop growth. To achieve these goals, the project was divided into three main phases:
Centro Universitário Facens successfully implemented an advanced monitoring project for its water supply system, consisting of four main sources: the distribution point from SAAE - Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto (Autonomous Water and Sewage Service), an artesian well, a shallow well, and a lake. Each source is monitored by state-of-the-art water meters that provide real-time consumption data, already integrated into the Smart Lab Dashboard. It's important to note that withdrawals from the artesian well, shallow well, and lake are regulated by water rights permits, establishing daily consumption limits and maximum usage times.
The project aimed to enhance the existing monitoring system by organizing and simplifying the visualization of water consumption information.
One of the most significant innovations was the creation of alert systems that improve water consumption governance. These alerts serve both strategic analysis—assessing the need to request increases in water rights permits—and operational control—assisting in the proper sizing of the system.
With this project, Facens reinforces its commitment to the sustainable management of water resources, establishing an effective and innovative model for water monitoring and governance on the Smart Campus®.
This project aims to evaluate hydrological variations, focusing on the water level of the stream that runs through the campus. Complemented by additional monitoring of the Facens lake, the project integrates various data to create predictive models and issue alerts to prevent overflow risks.
The data collected and analyzed enable the anticipation of potential flood events, identification of patterns for proactive alert issuance, and adoption of effective water management strategies. This includes adjustments in campus water consumption and storage, significantly improving the ability to respond to challenges that could compromise the drainage system, cause water scarcity, or require changes in water management practices.
Thus, the "Monitoring the Stream Level on the Facens Campus" project enhances the campus's resilience to hydrological variations and establishes a water resource management model that can be replicated by other institutions and communities facing similar challenges.
On January 16, 2023, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano received the award of Ambassador of Brasil Digital para Todos for her contributions to the country's digital advancement and for consolidating the Brazil Digital for All movement.
Check out the full article: Brasil Digital para Todos Award.
At the LEAP 2023 conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano, director of Smart Lab Facens, participated in a panel discussing the themes: "No One Left Behind, Accessibility, Inclusiveness, Building a Human-Centric City," alongside prominent panelists from other countries.
Check out the full article: LEAP 2023.
From March 22 to 24, 2023, Smart Campus® Facens participated in the Smart City Expo Curitiba, one of the main events on Smart Cities and urban solutions. This edition addressed topics such as transportation, infrastructure, technology, and security (including Big Data, blockchain, and cybersecurity). Organized in partnership with Fira Barcelona, the event gathered experts to discuss solutions for a more sustainable urban future.
Check out the full article: Smart City Expo Curitiba 2023.
Organized by Prof. Karina Leonetti and Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano, the "Sorocaba 2050" event took place in April 2023. MBA students in Management and Innovation in Smart Cities interacted with Facens alumni to explore partnerships and collaborations. Participants also visited the Smart Campus® Facens facility at the Sorocaba Technology Park.
Check out the full article: Meeting Between Facens Alumni and MBA Students in Management and Innovation in Smart Cities.
Representing Smart Campus® Facens, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano participated in the panel "Connectivity and Networks" at the GovTech event held in April 2023 by Connected Smart Cities (CSC), where initiatives related to 5G and its role in solutions for Smart Cities were presented.
Check out the full article: CSC GOVTECH.
Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano participated in the Smart City Business Brazil Congress 2023, joining a panel on the importance of strengthening technology parks for the development of solutions and their adoption for digital transformation in Brazilian cities. The event brought together innovation companies, mayors, secretaries, governors, and the entire ecosystem focused on Smart Cities.
Check out the full article: Smart City Business America Lecture.
Representing Smart Campus® Facens, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano, along with Thais Beldi (Facens trustee), Vitor Belota (Sustainability Coordinator), Rodolfo Pinelli (ED+ Coordinator), Natália Marangão (FACE Coordinator), and Wilson Júnior (LIGA Coordinator), participated in an intensive workshop on Imaginal Leadership, inspired by the book Becoming Imaginal by Tom Rudmik. Held on June 13, the event focused on enhancing personal perception, creativity, and individual growth.
Check out the full article: Imaginal Transformation Workshop.
On June 26, the 1st Ibrawork Challenge for Smart Cities took place, an event aimed at awarding startups that offer innovative solutions for Smart Cities in areas such as mobility, security, infrastructure, waste management, municipal operations, planning, management, logistics, and ecological solutions, aiming to improve the quality of life in urban centers.
Check out the full article: 1st Ibrawork Challenge.
In September, representing Smart Campus® Facens, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano participated in the IEREK conference, a global forum for academics and researchers to discuss strategies against climate change. She presented contributions and projects from Smart Campus® Facens, both internal and external, focused on addressing climate issues.
Check out the full article: CCES 2023.
In October, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano led approximately 25 students from the first International Module in Management and Innovation in Smart Cities to Dubai, where she had the opportunity to speak for the fifth time at GITEX, one of the leading technology events in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.
Check out the full article: First International Module in Dubai.
In November, representing Smart Campus® Facens, Prof. Dr. Regiane Relva Romano accepted the invitation to participate in the GovStack Women in Tech 2023–2024 program. The initiative aims to empower women in technology with the skills and knowledge to develop, implement, and manage digital government services, enhancing efficiency, engagement, trust, and citizen satisfaction through the GovStack Approach.
Check out the full article: GovStack Women in Tech.
